Beauty is Only Skin Deep
by SusansAmazin
Summary: What happens when you take a girl from her home and send her to another country where their idea of beauty is backwards? Will she find love there? Will she be imprisoned for her face? Will she even be able to leave there alive?
1. Chapter 1

**Sorry the chapters will probably be short and inconsistent in size. I got the idea from the Twilight Zone episode called Eye of the Beholder (if my memory is correct). I don't think I stole anything but if I did it doesn't belong to me.**

When I was young, I went to visit a friend who I hadn't seen in years. They moved away to a very distant country. The country was very bizarre and chaotic, like Wal-Mart on a Black Friday. You could hardly sleep at night because someone would always be outside screaming or a distant alarm would go off. Trash always littered the side walk and a constant burning rubber smell had taken residence in my nose.

The people there were crazy, not just in their minds but on their faces. They had huge bags under their eyes and bulky pig-like snouts. Their teeth were deranged and their hair matted. My friend assured me that they weren't dangerous, but I always felt on end anytime we left the house. Their eyes were the wildest of all. Blood-shot and dangerous with a slight twinge of logic. This logic, that stuck out like a sore thumb, could reach its hands around my body and squeeze every bit of courage out of me.

Every so often we would see a child wearing a mask like the kind you get at a costume store. I asked my friend why this is. She replied in a hushed tone "They're ugly." I couldn't imagine what the hidden faces looked like. If they let lunatics who looked like drunken pigs roam the streets, I was scared to see what the masked people looked like.

We decided to go window shopping one day during my visit. The clothes were hideous. It looked like someone had dipped them in mud and left them in a moth infested room before putting them on tattered mannequins. As we walked beside a cracked store window, my friend saw the most repulsive dress I had ever laid eyes on. There was at least thirty other holes in it, a sleeve was missing and a curious fungus was growing on the left shoulder. Naturally, my friend had to try it on.

As I waited in the dimly lit store, I saw one of the masked people caring a large pile of what I assumed were moldy and ripped pants. You could tell he worked there because of his name tag. It was bright white and probably the cleanest thing in the city. It read Sam. He suddenly tripped sending the clothes cascading over a woman standing not to far away. He frantically began to pick up the clothing and apologize over and over. The woman began to yell awful and malicious words. Sam cringed with every syllable.

After the woman quickly stormed away, I ran over to help him.

"Thanks," he said in a deep voice, "I'm Sam." His mask began to slide off his face and I braced myself for the worst. The mask fell on the concrete floor. My mouth fell open in shock.

He wasn't ugly at all! He was quite handsome and different from the pig-faced people. His dark black hair was arranged neatly on his head. His deep blue eyes looked like deep blue oceans.

Everyone began to point and mock him. His eyes opened wide and he ran through an employees only door.I felt a hand on my arm. It pulled me up to a standing position. I turned around to face one of the pig-faced men. He was wearing what looked like a police uniform.

"Why aren't you wearing a mask?" he demanded. I stared at him blankly. "Why aren't you wearing a mask?" he repeated. I could tell he was getting very infuriated. He dragged me out of the store and placed me in the back of his car. It was a beaten up, old cop car that reeked of garlic and rotten eggs.

"Name?" he asked

"Eleanor Maria" I replied in a very hushed voice. We rode the rest of the way in silence.


	2. Chapter 2

When we arrived at the precinct, they thumb printed and put me in a holding cell with at least thirty-six other people. As I tried to wipe the ink of my fingers I heard a familiar voice from the corner.

"I never got your name." Sam appeared and sauntered over to me.

"Eleanor." I replied.

"You look more like a Raven to me." He said, reaching out to touch my black hair.

"Why are you here?" I questioned.

"Same reason you are," I looked at him puzzled. What had I done wrong? I didn't think I broke the law.

"We weren't wearing mask." He explained.

"They can do that?" My mind began to race. I was in a country where it wasn't only considered a disgrace to look normal but it was against the law too.

I looked around the cell. Everyone in there looked sane and normal. This didn't make sense to me. Why did Sam and the others not look different.

"Why aren't you like them?" I asked. He shrugged, clearly not wanting to give me an answer.

"Oh." I murmured.

A deep voice brought me out of my thoughts.

"Eleanor Maria." A guard opened the barred door. It took a minute for me to register that this was my name.

"Come on princess. I ain't got all day." The guard pressed. Slowly I stood up and made my way over to the guard. Grabbing my arm hastily, he pulled me away. I took one last look over at Sam before a wall blocked my view.

We entered a small, dingy room. Two chairs faced each other with a large table separating them.

"Sit." The guard commanded practically throwing me towards a chair. Clumsily trying to regain my composure, I sat down. Waiting to hear the lock click, I was surprised when no sound came. Carefully, I walked over to the door. Making sure the door wouldn't make a noise I opened it. Two guard's behinds blocked my view. One looked over their shoulder and gave me a daring look. His hand went for a small gun on his belt.

"I suggest you go back in there sweetheart," the other guard spoke up, " Zeus here a little trigger happy with people like you." The guard chuckled. Standing taller in trying to make myself see more intimidating a cleared my throat.

" Excuse me, how long do I have to stay here?" The guards began to laugh hysterically and my question only made it worse. They finally stopped laughing long enough to look at my face.

" I'm sorry princess, but that face a so damn ugly " one of the guards comment. With that, the guards broke out into another fit of laughter. I tried to close the door, but the muscular hand of a guard grabbed my neck, forcing me to look at them. The hideous faces never ceased in their snarls and laughter. Their eyes looked mad. I tore the hand from my neck and slammed the door in their faces.

Sinking to floor, I was reminded of my mother. How elegant and proper she was even in the darkest of times. _'Chin up, Eleanor'_ she would say _'there is no need to be sad. Tomorrow will come whether you want it to or not'. _Her words were crystal clear in my head, sharp but comforting. I always wondered how she seemed to be solid all the time, never shedding a tear even when my little sister died. She was only seven. My mother had nursed her through the night and waited up for the doctor to arrive. Sadly, nothing could be done. An unknown disease had attacked her and by morning she had breathed her last breath. In some ways, I was grateful she never wept. If I had seen her cry, I wouldn't have known what to do.

From then on, I made a vow that I would protect brother. If she lost him, I knew she would loose it. Its always awful for a person to die but when it is someone so young, someone who has never tasted life's sweet candies or its coming sting, it is even worse. My mother knew this and still she never mourned. She never beat her chest or cursed the heavens for taking away something so innocent and pure that rightfully belonged to her.

I was suddenly aware of where I was. The small room began to feel cramp and I knew I would go mad if I stayed there. Standing up, I took the door knob in my hand and slowly turned it. I don't know what made me do it and I was glad my mother wasn't there to see what I was about to do.

With one big push, I thrust the door open and charged threw the guards. Running as fast as I could threw the narrow hallways, I could hear the threats of the guards and the screams of the officers who happened to be in there way. But alas, I was still in front of them. Their bulky and muscular bodies were no match for my quick and nimble strides. In seconds I was out the door of the precinct, sunlight temporarily blinding me. I rounded the corner and hid behind the piles of trash that lay there.

The guards burst threw the door and I held my breath. One peep and I knew it would be all over.

"Where the hell do you think she could have gone?" Zeus called to his colleague.

"I don't know but she couldn't have gone far." He replied obviously infuriated. After a few minutes of searching they turned around and went back inside. I finally began breathing again.

"That was close." The voice came from right beside me. I screamed, startled by the fact that someone was so close. Turing to face the voice I was relieved to find that it was only Sam.

"You scared the living daylights out of me!" I snapped. He simply shrugged.

"Come on. Lets go, Little Raven. I assume you have no where to go." He offered me his hand and I gladly took it.


	3. Chapter 3

I pretty much have lost all inspiration for this story so I have decided not to continue it :[

Any reviews would still be helpful and I might continue it in the future but just not now.

Feel free to critique any grammar/spelling mistakes or ask questions about the plot so far that you don't understand whats going on.


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